Fastening means



July 4, 1939. A. E. MCNABB FASTENING MEANS Filed Nov. 4, 1938 A. D ....0 c.

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Patented July 4, 1939 l UNITED; gSTATES FASTENING- MEANS Arthur 7E. McNabb, Monessen, Pa., assig'nor to Pittsburgh Steel Company, Pittsburgh, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application November 4, 1938, Serial No. 238,727

4 Claims.

This invention relates to fastening means', and more particularly is concerned with wire clips for fastening wire fabric lath, or the like, to furring bar or similar supports.

Heretofore, various types of wire clips have been provided for securing paper-back wire fabric lath to furring supports. These clips While satisfactory in many uses are open to certain objections. For example, some ofthe clips are expensive to manufacture and are difficult to secure in fastening position. Specifically, no wire clip has been provided, so far as I am aware, which can be secured inV place with one hand thereby leaving one hand of the builder freeto hold the fabric. Moreover, many prior types of wire clips when fastened in place do not provide adequate strength. Y

It is the general object of my invention to provide an improved wire clip for fastening metal lath, for example, paper-back wire fabric lath,k

to furring bars or similar supports.l

Another object of my invention is the provision of an inexpensive, light weight but strong and sturdy wire clip whereby Wire fabric or the like can be quickly and securely fastened to a desired support.

Another object of' my invention is the provision of a wire clip for securing sheet material to a furring bar or other support which clip can be readily fastened in place by one hand of the operator while he is employing the other hand to support the sheet material or perform any other desired operation. e

The foregoing and other objects of my invention are achieved bythe provision of a wire clip for securing metal lath or the like to a furring support which clip comprises an elongated wire body generally having 'a bend therein adapted to engage resiliently with the fabric to be supported. The body is formed with a hook on one end which is adaptedto hook around the furring support, and an eye on the other end of the body through which the hook of the next adjacent clip is adapted to'be passed so that one hook supports the ends of two adjacent clips. Each eye of my improved clip has means associated therewith for temporarily holding the `eye end of the body adjacent-the fabric until the hook of the next clip can be passed through the eye.

Stated in combination form, my improvement comprises paper-back wire fabric lath, furring bar supports for the lath, wire clips securing the lath to the furring supports, each of said clips comprising a wire body lying against the lath on the side opposite the furringbars and a hook (c1. via-12o) on one end of the wire body and extending around a furring bar. The other end of each wire body is provided with an eye and the end of the eye has'a leg secured thereto which extends substantially atright angles to the wire 5 body through the fabric to the back thereof so that the leg lies substantially in the plane of the fabric. The hook on the end of one wire clip extends through the eye on the next adjacent clip and moldable plastic covers one side of the 10 fabric and bures the clips;

For a better understanding of my invention, reference should be had to the accompanying .drawing wherein Figqfl is a longitudinal sectional view through a ceiling including wire fabric lath which is secured in place" in accordance with my invention; Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional View taken on the line II-II of Fig. l; Fig. 3 is a plan View of my' improved.v wire clip; Fig. 4 is a side elevation of my improved clip; and Fig. 5 20 isan end view of the clip'.

While the improved clip of my invention may be employed ina number of fastening or securing capacities it is particularly adapted to se- 'cure paper-back wire fabric, such as manufactured under the trade name Steeltex, in place on a wallr or ceiling,'and it has been so illustrated in the drawings in this capacity and will be so described.

Specifically, thenumeral I0 indicates general- 430 1y a paper-back wire fabric lath which isplaced against furring supports I2 and which is held in this position by wire clips, indicated as a whole by the numeral I4. A moldable plastic I6, Such as plaster orthe like, is coated over the outside 35 of the wire fabric lath I0' and buries the clips I 4 in the completedV ceiling, as will be understood.

' Having particular reference to the wire clips I4, each com-prises,..as best seen in Figs. 3 to 5, ,40 an elongated body portion 20 made of a single piece of wire and usually at least six inches in length. A convenient length is eight inches. The body portion 2U is formed with a bend or offset near its center so that the body portion comprises two parts which join eachother at an angle somewhat less than degrees. Preferably the bend is made about one-quarter of an -inch in height and ison the side of the clip which engages with the fabricin the fabric secur- .5,0 -ing operation. The purpose of the bendis to provide a resilient portion on the bodywhich engages with the .fabric and urges the fabric into tight relation with the furring bar support there- A hook is formed on one end of the body portion 20 which hook is adapted to extend around a furring bar support, as thus shown in Fig. 2. The hook generally takes the form of a leg portion 22 which extends at right angles to the body portion 2B of the clip and in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the fabric to be secured in place. The .leg portion 22 has a limb portion 24 formedon its endwhich limb portion extends at right angles to the leg portion and in a direction substantially perpendicular to the body portion of the clip. The end of the limb portion 24 has an arm portion 26 secured\there to which is substantially parallel with the leg portion but which extends somewhat.-out.of the plane defined by the legv and limb portions l22 and 24 and in a direction away from the body portion 20 of the clip. This structure sfac'ilitates the placing of the hook over the furring bar and permits the arcuate movement of the clip as :hereinafterzdescribed IIheend of the. arm por- .ztion 26 islcut to forma sharp point which :is to adapt the .hook so :that `it can-,readily pierce the paper Ahack I of the wire .fabric lath.

The =otherfend of the Wire body fIOis ,formed with an eye,.indicated as a Whole by the numeral 30. The eyel) lies'in a plane substantially fpar- .allel to or coincident with ithe wire fabric to be supported by theclip and to the tend ofthe eye `is securedlagleg portionf32 .which extends :at substantially a right angle'toY the body iportion ,2D and substantiallyzbu't not vquite in the plane of the :fabric '.to be .supported by the iclip. -As best seen in Fig. f5, 'the legaportion 32 extends at an Yangle of usually Ybetween `.and `20 Ydegrees'with ltheplanelof the :fabric Lto Abe1supported :so that it =rnakes"what;mightzbe termed alsmall :angle with vthe clip. Theend of the -leg :portion 32 is'also pointed to facilitatepushing it'through the paper :backpf the wire fabric ilath.

My improved clip as justdescribed in 4detail is -convenientlyand preferablymade from'a single length lof wire .so that .the zbody, leg, limb, arm, andieye=portionsfareall integral,

'In .thezuse offmyimproved -iclip the operator o Ibuilder holds the wire fabric lath `against the Vfurr'ing bar .support iwithzone hand l'and rwith the -other hand dhreads the'zhook end of the lclip through the paper fabric of the .lath vand up and aroundthe :furring bar support iso that the 'hook fend of zthe clip is securely flocked in position as will be `understood. The operator now lpushes the 'eye endoffthe wireclip with'anarcuateswing- :ing movement of 'the'body of thezclipiabout the lho'okfas.a.pivot1point ;tol.pier.ce the leg 32 through :the paperback of Vthe wirev fabric. This rmovement is continued to bring'lthe eye substantially into alignment with the furring bar. The point Fin the .paper` fabric through which ithe leg .32 is punched is .selected to :be quite -near '.to 'the fur- :ringbar so that the arcuate movement :of :the clip :after punching, kand fto bring the eye 'into align'- lment, Idoes .not tea-r the paper.

The arcuate orfswingingimovement of thewire clip also serves Vtopositionthe'router'end of the leg 32 behind the fwirelfabridas best seeninfFig .2. This entire :operationlcan 'rbe performed bythe -operators onehand fwhile the 'other hand is holding the fabric in position against Athe furring bar support. f The leg -32 on the eye'30 thus serves as `means 'for temporarily holding the eye end of the wire clipfinposition and the bend or `offset in the body portion .20 ofthe clip acts to resiliently position the clip during and after the movement of the leg 32 through the fabric.

Now the operation is repeated to position a second wire clip in securing relation. The second wire clip taken by the operator is manipulated in his one hand while still holding the fabric so be seen that the hook serves not only to support its end of the wire clip I4 but in addition "acts to hold up or position the eye end of the preceding wire clip. The eye end of the second 'wireclip lis;moved in an arcuate manner as before vto lpierce the 'leg 32 `through the paper and Wire Vfabric and thereby hold the clip in position and leave .the vhandof'an operator free to pick up still a third wire clip.

`The securing of the clips as just described is tcontinued .untila'whole string of interlocked and :connected Wirefclips is positioned along the whole :lengthof .wire-fabric to ybefsecured inplace. The eye end of the last :olipis secured in place-against Ythefurring bar bylanysuitable means, as for example,sawirezorsirnilar'tie34.V Thus 'the series of fclips forms aichainacross the Aface of the fabric ,and :provides Aa -continuous support 'for the fabric :from fendeto end.

f IIt :is `believed that the objects of my invention have :been :fulfilled 'by the `provision of the com- -bination'and the :improved wire clip herein spe- `ciflcally :illustrated .and described. Suffice it to v:say that ithel'improved fastening clip'of 'my-inven- 'tion :is inexpensive, easily made, `and can be :readily utilizedrby Athe ordinary laborer or construction man to rapidly and -strongly secure paper iback @Wire fabric Clath or-the like to a ,furring or other support. :It can ybe snapped into ,position by onehand vof a ysingle operator which leaves his other hand lfree yto hold the fabric vor -for other work. f

In accordance 'withzthe :provisions of the patent .statutes l :have :specifically illustrated .and described fone rparticular form 'of 'my invention.:`

However, it will be understood that my invention -is `not limited thereto or :thereby but is Ydefined in lthezappended claims.

fI claim:

l. .A wire clip Lfor securing metal *lath or Vthe 'like :to :a'urringzsupport comprising 'an elongated fwire'.body,:.aIhook-ion one end of thebody'adapted to hook around the 'furring support, an eye on Athe :other end yof the body .and Ythrough Ywhich ithe hookrof the :next clip is adapted tto be passed Vso vthat fone fhook :supports the ends 'of two adjacent `clips, `and means associated with the eye for itemporarily :holding the `eye -end of the body vadjacent'thefabric until-the hook of the next clip :can be 4passed through the eye.

l2. :A wire c'lip for securing metal lath or the like toa furring support comprising an-elongated `wire 'body having la bend therein adapted to Vengage Lresilie'ntly with the 'fabric `to be supported, Va -hook'onone'end of the body adapted to 'hook around'the vfurring support, an eye on the other end of ythe body and through which the hook of the -next clip-isadapted to `be passed so that one hook supports Vthe ends of two adjacent clips, and'means associated with the eye for temporarily holding the eye end of the body adjacent the lfabric until 'the hook of vthe .next clip can be Vpassed through the eye.

3. A wire clip adapted to .secure paper-back "wire fabric lath Vorthe like to furring bars or similar supports comprising a Wire body portion formed with a bend or oiset near its center portion and in a direction adapted to engage with the fabric, a locking leg portion formed integrally with one end of the body portion and adapted to hook around a furring bar, an eye formed integrally With the other end of the body portion, and a leg formed integrally with the end of the eye and adapted to extend at a relatively small angle through and to the back of the plane of the fabric when supported.

4. A wire clip adapted to secure paper-back wire fabric lath or the like to furring bars and comprising an elongated wire body having a bend therein near the center with the two parts of the body making an angle of a few degrees less than 180 with each other, an integral right angle leg portion at one end of the body and extending in the same direction as the bend in the body, an integral right angle limb portion formed on the end of the leg portion and extending substantially in a plane perpendicular to the body, an integral right angle arm portion formed on the end of the limb portion and extending at a slight angle to the said plane and away from the body portion, an eye formed integrally on the other end of the body portion and lying in a plane substantially perpendicular to the leg portion, and an integral extension on the end of the eye and positioned substantially at right angles to the body but rising out of the plane of the eye on the leg portion side thereof.

ARTHUR E. MCNABB. 

